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Molecular Identification of Encephalitozoon hellem from Companion Birds Kept in Pet Shops, Japan
Naoyuki Itoh1, Satoshi Kameshima1, Yuya Kimura1
1Laboratory of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University.
Abstract:
To evaluate the role of companion birds as a reservoir of Encephalitozoon hellem infection in humans, the present study determined the prevalence and genotypes of E. hellem from 269 birds in 4 pet shops using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. E. hellem was identified in 4.8% (13/269) of the birds and was detected in all pet shops. Every positive sample corresponded to zoonotic genotype 1A. Considering the low prevalence of E. hellem infection, it is likely that the risk of zoonotic transmission from companion birds kept in pet shops to humans is low in Japan.
